Interior Lights - Incandescant, LED, or Flourescent

[Crazylegs]

I did some testing with LED vs Incandescent 1157 bulbs.
No load.
1 Incandescent 1157. recovered.
1 LED 1157

[pete42]

.52 volts vs .09 volt drop doesn't look like much but I'll bet it would add up over time.
I haven't done any real boondocking just the occasional overnight in a rest stop or campground when I either couldn't hook up to electricity or I didn't want to.
but to someone who regularly does live off the grid seems to me would make a difference.

Pete

[vtx1029]

I used these as under cabinet lights in our new kitchen and they rock! I run 8 strips in combination with a PWM dimmer and rarely have them all the way turned up. But it could still be costly out fitting a whole trailer with them.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/36-led-576-lumen-string-light-with-aluminum-alloy-shell-warm-white-light-12v-47300

I just ordered 2 strips... we'll see how they work in my little 5x8...

FYI you can cut the strips every 3 LED's making them shorter or connecting them with another strip

[Pyrofish]

Just bought 5 of these.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190360491161&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT

I'll look at LED bulbs for them once I have them installed. I don't plan on camping sans shore power until next spring anyway. So I have time to play with it. Thanks for all the help. I'll probably be buying some of the other recommendations for other areas of the Toy Hauler too.

[Jeffmo63]

I think you will be happy with what you purchased. I've worked with the same folks before and am very satisfied. I have 3 duals down the center and 2 singles up front. The illuminate the interior very nicely.
Jeff

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Go to mostly Lowes and some Home depot, they have great LED lights, the one in the middle of the picture lights my 7 x 16 very bright with 2 lights $10 each, no wiring, the double or triple AA batteries last up to 50 hours. Just stick them anywhere & never burn your trailer down.





http://overthetopcargotrailer.blogspot.com/

[GPW]

Voltage measurements don't tell much ..... It's the Amps that the lights draw that means something ... Try that and you'll see a BIG difference ... LEDs draw Much Less current (amps) that other types of lighting ...

[pete42]

Just to follow up on what GPW said check out this site http://www.ledtrailerlights.com/tips.htm for trailer marker lights.

the L.E.D. s will come down a regular 1141 cost 49 cents it will be a while before L.E.D. s approach that price

But just like I said when I worked in a service station back in the 1950's when gas went to 24.9 I said that won't last long, fast forward 53 years and I was right

[Pyrofish]

I know this an old thread, but I just now getting around to installing my LED arrays in the incandescent fixtures.

These are the arrays I bought:
http://www.ledtrailerlights.com/rv/RV-1141.htm

I put them in the standard double dome I picked up on ebay here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190360491161?item=190360491161&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT&vxp=mtr

This will be my first trip off shore power so I figured I'd better try it out. Wow! I am impressed! These things are brighter than the incandescents that were in there. So much so, that I only need one in each double dome.

The light isn't as soft as the incandescent but it is definitely as white. I might play with scratching up the lenses with a scouring pad to soften it.

I used an IR grill thermometer to check my installed Incandescent dome lights. They were running 140F. The LED arrays run at maybe a degree or 2 above room temp. Pretty awesome reduction in heat. Just messing around with the temp sensor, I checked the temp on the wire connections on the back of the light switch. The 2 switches running the LED's were 72F. The switch connection running the one set of incandescents left, was at 78F.

[Sevo]

Great thread and info, thank you

If you are looking to buy more than one this is a better deal, you really save on the shipping... its for a 4 pack of the same dome lights from the same seller.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-pack-RV-light ... e3&vxp=mtr

I will use 3 in the cabin and one in the bathroom


Chris

[Pyrofish]

I used 5 double dome lights in mine. Currently only 4 LED arrays, but that's all I need. Those things are kind of bright. I had several people look in on the build and this is the first time they had seen the LED arrays. All were impressed with the brightness, and whiteness of the light. Several asked for the website and are planning to buy them for they're trailers, and one for the boat he lives on. So I guess what I'm saying, they're expensive at $15/each, but they're worth it so far